The FX toughman contest

[Sephiroth]

Not sure where to put this one. Its not exactly wrestling related, but I do think there were some tie ins.
A while back, FX took to running these crappy toughman contests. It was just what most such events are-a bunch of flabby, ugly guys who know how to throw a punch beating on each other for a cash prize. But it seemed like there were some intentional resemlences to wrestling like the fighters having dumb sounding names, theme music, and title belts. I know Fox had been talking on and off with WCW about picking up their programming, so maybe Fox was trying to test the water for a wrestling styled show on one of their networks?
It was noteable really only for the appearances by Hardbody Harrison, who was a WCW jobber at the time, and was later arrested for keeping sex slaves in his basement-I wish I were making that up-and also Francis Royal, who went on to some minor success in ameature boxing. But overall, this seemed like a halfhearted attempt to imitate wrestling at best. Anyone else remember this?

[SAJ Forth]

I remember they used to have Lawrence Taylor on commentary from time to time.

[agent817]

I remember watching that show back in the day. It was kind of fun to watch, but I am not sure in what way was it fun. Maybe in a sick perversion sort of way? I don't know. Anyway, I remember how Hardbody Harrison took part in that show as well. Also, one of the interviewer/announcers was some blonde woman who looked like she was in her mid 30s to early 40s wearing these revealing outfits. She was sort of attractive, but she looked a little old I thought.

[Sephiroth]

The thing I mainly remember, personally, is that Hardbody Harrison actually looked pretty legit. I mean, he was clearly playing the wrestling heel character thing up, but he actually looked like a genuinely tough, dangerous guy. Unless it was all scripted-which I would almost consider possible considering how low grade this show was-some of the knockouts he delivered look pretty brutal.
Which, of course, makes his ultimate fate all the more hysterical. For those who did not know: Harrison was getting a rep backstage in WCW as a legit tough guy, till he got into a fist-fight with Alex Wright...and Das Wunderkid completely jakked him up. By all account, Harrison walked away a blood mess and Wright didn't have a mark on him. Any credibility Harrison had went right down the toilet after that.

[agent817]

May 28, 2010 15:15:26 GMT -5 Sephiroth said:

The thing I mainly remember, personally, is that Hardbody Harrison actually looked pretty legit. I mean, he was clearly playing the wrestling heel character thing up, but he actually looked like a genuinely tough, dangerous guy. Unless it was all scripted-which I would almost consider possible considering how low grade this show was-some of the knockouts he delivered look pretty brutal.
Which, of course, makes his ultimate fate all the more hysterical. For those who did not know: Harrison was getting a rep backstage in WCW as a legit tough guy, till he got into a fist-fight with Alex Wright...and Das Wunderkid completely jakked him up. By all account, Harrison walked away a blood mess and Wright didn't have a mark on him. Any credibility Harrison had went right down the toilet after that.

I only remember seeing Hardbody Harrison on WCW Saturday Night once or maybe more times. I could never forget those tights he wore (I guess Zack Ryder shares the same tailor). Also, jobbing to Disco Inferno on WCW Saturday Night. He did seem tough when he was on Toughman, but it's been a long time since I saw that show. I wonder how he would've done had he gone to the WWF during the Brawl 4 All, or if they still did that.

By the way, I never knew that Alex Wright messed that guy up. I never even thought of Wright as a tough guy until you mentioned this.

[SAJ Forth]

That is a funny story.